Nawgan to Rebrand as INVIA

Now under new management, Nawgan, a functional brain health beverage, is being launched as a new brand, INVIA. The daily mental performance supplement is slated to launch in a powdered format at the top of October.

The rebranding of Nawgan, launched in 2009 by neuropsychologist Dr. Robert Paul, follows the acquisition of the company’s rights to market and sell the brand in December 2015 by Memory Sciences, a recently launched health and wellness venture from Eric Nelson and Chris Rebholz. Nelson and Rebholz own and operate a handful of businesses in Milwaukee, Wisc. ranging from fulfillment distribution to long-form direct response media, both of which will play an integral part in the relaunch and new iteration of the Nawgan brand. Paul remains involved with the brand as its founder.

In a call with BevNET, Nelson said the launch of Invia will be backed by a robust advertising campaign centered around a long form television infomercial to educate the consumer on the benefits of product. The revamp was led by San Francisco-based branding and packaging design agency McLean Design.

“There’s been a rise in products focusing on mental performance and we believe we’re in a strong position to define a category that’s not yet been defined,” said Nelson. “This is a product backed by solid, sound science and we want to make sure consumers are educated on the amazing ingredients in it.”

Whereas Nawgan was a supplement packaged as a ready-to-drink beverage, INVIA will transition the formula into a powdered stick format, a move Dr. Paul said will extend its use occasions.

“Portability for a functional product like this is very important,” said Paul. “When I’m traveling for work and I want to bring this product with me and function at my optimal level, it’s not as convenient to do that when carrying around 12 oz. cans.”

Other factors at play in the change in format reflect INVIA’s pivot to becoming a product with a focus on direct-to-consumer and e-commerce sales strategy rather than at retail (Nawgan has a presence in Vitamin Shoppe stores), shipping powders is considerably more cost efficient than shipping liquid.

“We’re taking what we’ve known to be a really powerful product and concept and marrying that with the most effective way to bring the product to market,” Paul added. “It’s now best in class, not only in ingredients, but in brand name, image, and personality, with a world class team to execute behind it.”

Whereas Nawgan had a collegiate consumer base and sat on shelves next to energy drinks, Invia will shift its target demographic to the “25-35-year-old busy, professionally-oriented adult.” It’s a shift, Paul says, that’s in line with consumers’ evolution from the energy category.

“We’ve been anticipating for quite some time that the energy market was going to evolve and mature and we believe that’s what’s been fueling the momentum and excitement of the brain space and mental performance supplement category,” Paul added.

Correction: An earlier version of this story stated Nawgan is owned by Memory Sciences. The company is owned by Wedge LLC.